Babson Baseball Overpowers Emerson, 13-0, to clinch NEWMAC Tournament Berth

BABSON PARK, Mass.—Junior Jack Halpin (Glastonbury, Conn.) came up a home run short of the cycle, going 3-for-3 with a single, double, and triple in the first three innings as Babson College defeated Emerson College, 13-0, in New England Women's and Men's Athletic Conference (NEWMAC) baseball action Friday afternoon at Govoni Field.

With its fifth win in the last six games, Babson is now 19-12-1 overall and 8-7 in conference play. The victory coupled with Coast Guard's loss also helped the Beavers clinch a spot in next week's NEWMAC tournament. Emerson, which has lost eight in a row, is now 4-26 overall and 0-15 in league play.

Junior Jake Weiss (Irvine, Calif.) went 3-for-5 with two runs scored and three runs batted in, while
first-year Connor Gill (Sterling, Mass.), sophomore Adam Ayala (Franklin Lakes, N.J.), and senior George Crowley (Watertown, Mass.) all contributed two hits apiece. The trio also combined to score six runs to go along with five RBI.

Not to be outdone, first-year Michael Genaro (Greenwich, Conn.) pitched seven innings of one hit baseball before giving way to classmate Robert Sullivan (Peabody, Mass.), who tossed two innings in relief and allowed one hit while striking out one. Genaro finished the day with three strikeouts and one walk.

After a scoreless first inning, the Green and White broke the game open in the bottom of the second. The hosts were able to load the bases with a Crowley single, first-year Edward Lehr (Byram Township, N.J) getting hit by a pitch and a walk to sophomore David Lennon (Windermere, Fla.) walk. The Beavers then capitalized with a Weiss single to right center that brought Crowley and Lehr across the plate. Gill followed him up with another single through the left side to bring Lennon home. After a double steal by Gill and Weiss, Ayala tripled to right center and cleared the bases to push the lead to 5-0. Halpin then hit a scorcher by the second basemen to score the sixth and final run of the inning.

Genaro retired the side in the top of the third and Babson continued its onslaught with five more runs in the bottom of the frame. Crowley began the inning with a lead-off homerun, Weiss followed with another RBI single and the Green and White tacked on three more runs thanks to an error and a pair of wild pitches to extended its advantage to 11-0.

Gill and first-year Brian McHale (Ramsey, N.J.) added RBI singles in the fourth to make it 13-0, while Genaro retired the final 10 batters he faced from the fourth through seventh innings.

GAME NOTES
• The Beavers are now 8-0 all-time against Emerson.
• Weiss is now 11-for-19 (.579) with two doubles, five RBI and 11 runs scored in four career games against the Lions.
• Halpin, who has hit safely in six straight games, is 13-for-24 (.542) with seven doubles, a triple and seven RBI during the streak.